Jonah & Solomon
Monday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Read this Gospel passage aloud to the family
Matthew 12:38-42 - Some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Jesus, "Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you." He said to them in reply, "An evil and unfaithful generation seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. Just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. At the judgment, the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and there is something greater than Jonah here. At the judgment the queen of the south will arise with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and there is something greater than Solomon here.
(Parent) Reread this part a few times aloud
“There is something greater…here.”
(Parent) Read this meditation aloud to the family
Jesus is very serious about our repentance. Notice that Jesus doesn’t go around saying that our sins will keep us from God, but that our failure to repent of our sins will keep us from God. In the Gospel, He is stressing that being of the right religion isn’t enough; we need to repent.
There are so many Catholics who think that, because they are Catholic, they are automatically in good standing with God. Perhaps we fall carelessly into thinking this way. We have to pay close attention to a message Jesus gives over and over. God wants to forgive our sins, but we need to repent and turn away from them. Are there major sins in our lives that we are not admitting, confessing, struggling against, and praying that God will help us with? In prayer, examine if there are areas where we aren’t trying to turn from sin. Ask for God’s forgiveness. He wants to give us help.
As a family, pray a portion of the Rosary together (very short if children are young) reflecting on the Scripture passage above. (Optional: allow a brief time for discussion or questions from children concerning their thoughts and prayer.)
Reminder for Parents: Pier is just meant to be a jumping off point. The real goal is that you pray & eventually use the fruits of your personal prayer as the content of your family’s prayer. Duc in altum.
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